Innovation Asset Blog

UK to implement massive IP law review

As an effort to boost small business growth and innovation in the emerging London tech industry, the United Kingdom has announced the beginning of a large-scale review of intellectual property and copyright laws.

In addition to initiating a large-scale campaign to bring entrepreneurs and investors to London's East End, Prime Minister David Cameron announced last week that a comprehensive copyright and IP law review is necessary to bring UK innovation into the 21st century.

The review will assess the cost and difficulty of enforcing intellectual property rights, as well as their effect in spurring small business development.

"Copyright legislation dating from the late 1980’s is not what you want in the internet age," said Daniel Milnes, Intellectual Property Solicitor at Forbes Solicitors.

However, others argue that the prime minister's campaign is futile, as it will likely contradict or oppose a number of European Union regulations.

"The focus is apparently to be on fair use defences, in other words what types of uses of copyright works should be allowed without having to get the rights-owner’s permission," said Mark Owen, a prominent UK IP lawyer. "These are largely dictated by EU law, and the UK has little room to maneuver on them."